The invention relates to a stabilizing strut, in particular for a chassis of a vehicle, in particular a Watt strut, having an elongate strut body which is designed as a profile.
The invention relates furthermore to a method for producing a stabilizing strut of this type, a strut body being formed from a sheet-like blank to give a profile.
A stabilizing strut of this type and a method for the production thereof are known in general through their use or application.
A special stabilizing strut which is used in many chassis of vehicles is the Watt strut. The Watt strut is part of the Watt linkage which is used primarily in vehicles having a rigid axle, in order to reduce lateral movements of the rigid axle. In the case of the Watt linkage, a lever, which is mounted rotatably in the center, is mounted, for example, on the differential and is guided to both sides by a respective stabilizing strut or Watt strut which is identical in length and is fastened to the vehicle body. This coupling means that only an exact, vertical movement of the guided lever is possible.
However, the invention is not restricted to a Watt strut.
The stabilizing struts known to date have an elongate strut body which is designed as a profile.
The strut body of the known stabilizing struts is designed as a single part in the longitudinal direction of the strut body. In the circumferential direction, the strut body of the known stabilizing struts is designed as two parts. The profile of the known stabilizing struts is, as a rule, a circumferentially closed box profile, having a base section which is formed in a U-shape in cross section, the open side of the U being closed by a cover plate which extends over the entire length of the strut body. A profile of this type, which is closed on all sides, ensures the flexural rigidity required for a stabilizing strut of this type. Other known designs of stabilizing struts are pipes which are continuously and circumferentially closed.
A disadvantage of the known stabilizing struts is that they have a high weight because of the design described above, and, since the cover plate has to be welded or soldered to the base profile over the entire axial length, the production method is also time-consuming and costly in terms of material and is consequently expensive. A further disadvantage is that surface engineering cannot be used properly in the interior of the stabilizing strut. For example, the inside of the closed profile cannot be coated and so there is an increased risk of corrosion.
The invention is therefore based on the object of developing a stabilizing strut, and a method for the production thereof, of the type mentioned at the outset to the effect that the stabilizing strut is lower in weight in spite of the flexural rigidity being ensured, the production method can be carried out at less expense, and surface engineering can readily be used on the inside.